


spychics

by Be_the_Spark



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: AU, F/M, Psychics, School, Thriller
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-14 00:25:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11771607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Be_the_Spark/pseuds/Be_the_Spark
Summary: AU Riverdale gang meets XMen!Welcome to Julliard's Young Advantage program, where teens can focus on developing their "valuable skillsets" to later serve their country as spies.It's where Archie Andrews is a mental projectionist, Kevin Keller is a telepath, and Veronica sees the future (Prada is coming to middle-class retail chains soon!)But Betty is an empath, forced to feel the collective highs and lows with her own emotions unidentifiable in that mess. Her gift might not be enough to keep her in the program, yet a boy with electro-kinetic powers might be able to help her…should his personal agenda succeed.





	spychics

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a one-shot but it's late and I'm too tired to work on more right now.  
> I don't do one-shots anyways. I also don't do AUs but I actually had this as an original novel plotted and discarded so maybe it works here.
> 
> Maybe I just want to see Archie subject his friends to his weird fantasies? (j/k kinda sorta)
> 
> I don't expect anyone to really like this but me though

No one had told Betty she was going to church.

With the belated spring drizzle thickening the pearl-grey July air, the setting seemed somehow appropriate. Or at least she thought so, sauntering away from the yellow taxi that had brought her to this corner of upper state New York. With the handle of a rolling suitcase under her palm, Betty settled her gaze on the large dark-blue bricked structure rooted by a trail. People were in there - she could tell because she wanted to laugh, cry, and murder all at the same time.

Using that as a cue, she untangled the cords to her headphones. The earbuds were already echoing with tinny musical voices. Betty sighed."I don't think we're in Boston anymore, Toto."

Reassuringly, Toto responded,

 _It's gonna take alot to take me away from you_  
_There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do -_

 _There's also nothing that an 80's power pop playlist can't make better_ , she told herself, going into the building.  
  
Standardized testing - the words paired together called to mind a ghost academy. Pass, fail, bubble the letters in a way that spelled DICKS! backwards; whoever saw it was not going to take your test out of thousands like it and give you a grade. Or a phone call. At least, that's the attitude that led to Betty Cooper's summer internship at Julliard's Young Advantage program.

It was meant for high school juniors and seniors that demonstrated certain "valuable skillsets" on one of the tests administered in sophomore year. Betty always frowned, squeezing her temples whenever she tried to remember what kinds of tests she'd taken last year. She'd been nearly stumped by a math question, but that was Trig and she'd figured it out. E= hang on, that was a physcics pop quiz she'd aced. What did she remember about last year?

  
_Oh,_ she thought dully, _that's right_.

  
So what the hell was she doing here?

The door opened to a refectory, a large one, granted - but the kids were eating on benches like monks and the room smelled of fresh bread and mop bucket suds. And then they stopped eating. Probably because of Betty, but she wasn't going to take her headphones out to ask. Instead she called out, "Can someone get Hermione Lodge?"

  
A girl wearing long black tresses and vixen-red lipstick slipped into Betty's view. She motioned for Betty to take out the headphones, which had to be an eventuality. But when the sound was cut, frustration, envy, and ego filled the void. All of those feelings were typical and none of them were Betty's. She hoped this would be over quickly.

"Hello, I'm Veronica," said the girl. "The director of the program will meet you upstairs." Linking an arm around hers - had Betty been holding it out? - Veronica led her through the hall. With each student they passed, Betty began to sense something was off, funny, a joke she wasn't in on. Maybe she was the joke?

  
No, she couldn't think that way. She had allowed herself to be consumed by paranoia and hostility last year, and she had the scars to prove it.  
This place was a second chance. Betty needed the second chance.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, Veronica led Betty to the second door on the right - an opaque pane window with DIRECTOR lettered in big black print.

Director of what?

Betty was about to knock, but Veronica caught her wrist.

"She's busy," the girl said quietly. "Online chat of the gravest nature."

"Really?"

Veronica nodded. "How to find Coach sneakers at a TJ Maxx."

Betty hoped this was the joke.

"You'll want to sit down for the next thirty minutes," said Veronica. "I can stay with you."

Betty looked the girl, her senses waving over her, through her shoulders and down her lungs. It was happening again, the feeling inside Betty was becoming all Veronica and Veronica was…

Lonely. Betty felt lonely, a pretty painting to cover the hollow space. A candle without a flame. Betty knew that feeling well. She knew because she chose it. "I don't think that's a good idea," she muttered. "I mean, I'll see you around in class, won't I?"

"Mmm." Veronica leaned in, so close Betty wondered if she was going to kiss her at random. "I'll be seeing you. I hope we can be very close, before you…" She pulled back and began walking down the stairs again.

"What?" asked Betty, the invisible word hanging between them feeling a lot like  _die._  Veronica was mourning her. Why was she mourning her?  
Why couldn't Betty mourn herself?

 


End file.
